A bearing assembly with a backup bearing according to the class is known from DE 10 2011 005 761 A1. A desired flexibility of the backup bearing in the radial direction, with respect to the rotational axis of a supported shaft, is produced in this case such that a housing holding the backup bearing has a slot in the circumferential direction of a bearing ring of the backup bearing. The slot extends, for example, over a circumferential angle of 50° to 180° and has a width of approx. 0.2 mm. If a bearing, in particular, a magnetic bearing, provided for supporting the shaft during proper operation fails, the shaft is caught by the backup bearing, which can cause a load spike on the backup bearing and the housing and blockage of the walls of the slot providing a spring path of approx. 0.2 mm.
Another backup bearing for a magnetic bearing is known from DE 10 2010 035 183 A1. An outer ring of this backup bearing is surrounded by a damping ring that has recesses arranged regularly on its lateral surface. Such a backup bearing is provided, for example, for use in electrical machines or turbochargers.
For damping a bearing ring, in addition to mechanical damping elements, hydraulic damping devices are also known. One example here is disclosed in patent DE 10 2006 026 123 B4 that relates to a method for damping movements of a rotor in the radial direction relative to the rotor axis. A ring gap running around the rotor axis is here filled with a viscous medium that is loaded with different pressures as a function of the operating state of the rotor.